Letters from the issue of Thursday, March 27, 2008

It's closing time when Five-O says it is: Holding patrons prisoner in bars? Even if the cops think they have a high-minded purpose, like checking the place for underage drinkers, I have to agree with the ACLU on this one. And I hardly ever agree with the ACLU on anything ("Bar Busters," The Bird, Stephen Lemons, March 20).

If I were in a bar and the Scottsdale police tried to hold me there, they would have trouble on their hands. As you said, this is a lawsuit in the making.

The kind of stuff that goes on around here, not only with the horrid Maricopa County Sheriff's Office but with most of the police departments in the Valley, gives me the shivers. Makes me wonder what country this actually is; is this even part of the United States?Anne Harris, Phoenix

BIRD-WATCHING

To be fair, some of them areretiredmanure-spreaders: Your story about "Buffalo" Rick Galeener about sums up what kind of scum the anti-illegal immigration movement is made up of in this state ("White-Trash Weenie," The Bird, March 13).

"Buffalo Chip" wagging his penis in front of a woman and her child aside, what I want to know is how all these nativist nitwits — some of whom are outed neo-Nazis — have the time to stand around outside the Macehualli Work Center day in and day out? I'll answer my own question: Because they are unemployed white-trash racists with nothing but time on their hands.

What a foolish exercise their protests are. Here are these lazy rednecks, who couldn't buy a job because they're too ignorant and lazy to get one, protesting against Mexicans going out and doing work that United States citizens are willing to pay them to do!

Maybe these boobs would have a point if they, themselves, were willing to do the work they try to stop the illegals from doing. Why don't they jump on the trucks and go spread manure on my lawn? I'm willing to pay them to do it! I won't discriminate against white people.R.J. Bryant, Phoenix

Those withtwohalves of a brain, on the other hand . . .: Now, who's stupid here? I can rest a lot easier after reading this last piece of garbage that Stephen Lemons wrote. I now understand why he writes. Calling himself The Bird, he naturally needs something to catch all the crap he drops around. Liner for his own cage.

What helps me rest, though, is that he can side with Sal Reza and the illegal aliens at Macehualli and call anyone who is for law enforcement obscene names. Also, in the same column, he praises [Scientology founder] L. Ron Hubbard ("Hubbard Haters;" also see "Project Mayhem," The Bird, March 20).

Lemons is comic relief. Now that I understand this, I know that no one with half a brain takes him seriously.Jim Williams, via the Internet

Come for Tom Cruise, stay for the exploitation: I beg to differ about the avian perception of why Anonymous is taking on Scientology. While the removal of Tom Cruise's video in January was an attention-getter, the attention is sustained by the church's policy of intimidating those who would speak out against its abuses and shuddering into silence anyone who disagrees.

In other words, Anonymous came for the T.C. vid and stayed for the unimaginable abuses of people and the law deployed by this tax-exempt organization. Most recently, Scientology has tried to file a restraining order against Anonymous with trumped-up charges, as if people who sell superhuman powers should be afraid of people with words on signs.

Anonymous has helped to remove fear, and now more people are speaking out. Scientology is worse than you think.Name withheld by request

Greedyandtax-exempt? That'sourfantasy!: Kudos to Anonymous for its efforts to expose and debunk Scientology. It is a scam, a hoax, and a fraud of the highest order. There is nothing that Scientology adds to society or culture.

Where are the Scientology charities, like food banks, health agencies, or homeless shelters? Where are the Scientology fundraisers for such endeavors? That's right. There aren't any, and there never will be.

Scientology is all about self. And that, in a nutshell, is its Achilles' heel and will be its downfall.

But do not take that to mean that Scientology should be ignored like some harmless little passing fancy. It is dangerous, pernicious, and evil. The greater the exposure of the truth about Scientology and its adherents, the sooner society will see that it is not a church, does not deserve tax-exempt status.Name withheld by request